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Tweeting the Shark Attack

by Sean Tucker on 14/01/10 at 2:00 pm
3 comments

As most of you know by now, there was a fatal shark attack on Fish Hoek beach yesterday afternoon.

I found out about it whilst sitting in a restaurant bathroom. It came up on my Twitter feed on my phone and I sat there amazed that I was finding all this out in what felt like ‘real time’ (Yes, now you know I check my Twitter feed in the bathroom). I came out to share the news with some friends, not thinking that it was strange to have found out in the bathroom of all places. One of my friends assumed they had a TV with the news on in there. The irony is the news hadn’t even got a hold of this stuff yet.

Just look at some of the stuff coming out:

Before I knew it I was watching the airwaves crackle with speculation about the state of the victim, discussion around suggested solutions like Shark nets and bubble screens, and even thoughts about the ramifications for tourism and the World Cup.

It would be hours before I heard anything official from the mainstream media. There would be mention on the news later, and papers would be printed for circulation in short order, but there was nothing like the immediacy of Twitter buzz! Admittedly much of it is flippant public ranting, but it does give you the sense that you are part of what is happening, even if you aren’t present yourself.

All this just goes to demonstrate the brilliant immediacy of this medium, and the potential it has to get the word out fast.

View more articles by Sean Tucker.

Tags: Twitter

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